A Book in the Hand ....

It's not that hard to put your book into paper format. Getting started can be the most confusing and confounding part of the journey. Building momentum takes energy -- as any student of physics can tell you.

This is not a physics book.

You've made the decision to publish your book on your own, and maybe you've already tackled the e-book world and successfully uploaded your book on Kindle, Nook, iPad and the rest of the e-readers out there. Congratulations. That was no mean feat. Pause for a pat on the back.

For any of a variety of good reasons, no matter how much you adore e-books, you'd like to do a paper version and … you don't know where to begin.

It's different -- a lot different -- from formatting an e-book. I'm going to walk you through the initial steps for getting your book ready for CreateSpace. You can probably use the same preparation for other POD publishers since I don't believe there would be that much variation, but someone else should tell you that for sure. CreateSpace is what I'm familiar with.

Step 1

You've already written your very excellent book, had the editor of your choice go over it, made your corrections and inserted all the appropriate title, copyright verbiage, etc., and gotten rid of all that messy formatting stuff that can plague an e-book.

Make a copy of that file you can use for the print version and call it something else like, Very Excellent Mystery Print.doc. (Use Ctrl A to mark the entire manuscript, right click and COPY, then open an new document and right click and PASTE. Use SAVE AS to save it).

Put it aside.

Step 2

Go to www.createspace.com and log in or sign up. I'll wait while you read all their information about all they can do for you. Don't worry if you get thoroughly confused. Just read, and come back here when you're done.

Step 3

Back? Good. Confused? Never mind. It'll make sense later. Here's what you have to do next: decide what size you want your book to be. Take a ruler (tape measure will work) and pull out some of your favorite books. Measure the cover and decide which size you'd like for your book. Then open a few of those books and pick one that has a layout that's pleasing to you.

Yup, this is all about "presentation" -- just like haute cuisine.

Take that book (or books) you like back to your computer with you so you can reference it.

Step 4

Go back to Create Space. Under the "Books" tab at the top of the page is "publish a trade paperback." Pick that one.

Just a little ways down the page are a bunch of tabs that read "Overview" "Cover" "Interior" etc. Pick "Interior"

Now, see "Submission Requirements" in blue? Click on it. And OH MY GOD! It wasn't bad enough to have to convert your .doc file to html for an e-book, but NOW YOU HAVE TO CONVERT TO A PDF FILE!!

Calm down, it's not that terrible. Besides, we haven't even gotten there yet. There's some work to do first.

Step 5

Scroll down to Step 3 (yes, we're skipping steps 1 and 2, but go ahead and read them if you want) where you see all those size books listed…let's pretend we're going to use 6x9. Click on "Download a Blank Word Template"

Why? Because this template will set up all your margins for you exactly right. It will also change your page count. You will work with your manuscript within this template, so once you have it downloaded, copy (using Ctrl A) your entire manuscript and paste it into the template. SAVE IT NOW using SAVE AS and a new name, like Very Excellent Book 6x9.doc. Be sure to save it in the right folder so you don't have any trouble finding it later.

Step 6A

Once you have your book in the template Ctrl A again, so you've marked the whole document. Go to the tool bar and click "Format." From that, select "Paragraph." Go to the "Line and Page Breaks" section and unselect everything. NO widow or orphan control. If you see the little boxes as filled in blue squares, select everything and then unselect. Click OK. Trust me.

Step 6B

Now, while the whole manuscript is still "marked" go to the toolbar and click the little icon that justifies the text so you have nice neat left AND right margins.

Step 6C

Now go to the font box. You've probably got Times New Roman. Pick something else like Garamond or Book Antiqua. TNR will make your book look like a business proposal. Ick. Don't worry, you can make the title and chapter headings something else, too. You've got a little more leeway than you did with your e-book.

Step 7

Now you get to put in headers and page numbers. You remember those things? You had to take them out for the e-book. Now you get to put them back in again. Go over to "Files" in the tool bar and select "Page Set Up" then select "Layout." Under "Headers and Footers" select BOTH "different first page" AND "different odd and even." Click OK. Now you can go over to "View" in the tool bar and click on "Header and Footer".

Remember the book I told you to get out of your bookshelf? Notice where the page numbers are and how the page headers look. The author name is on one page and the book title will be on the other. Maybe the page numbers are at the top, maybe at the bottom. Emulate the style you like. Be sure the font for the header is different from the text. You can use a tiny version of the font you used for your book's title. That would look cool. Then select the location where you want the page numbers by selecting "Insert" from the tool bar and "Page Numbers."

Step 8

Now for the blank pages. Yes, print books have blank pages, and YOU have to insert them. Where do they go? Look at your example book.

• Typically, copyright information is on the backside of the title page.
• The dedication page is on the right when the book is open, as are the Acknowledgments.
• Chapter one starts on the right side of the open book. My personal preference is that all chapters start on the right side of the open book. Those are the odd number pages, by the way. You'll need to go through your book and take a look at what page each chapter starts on.
• While you're at it, make the font correct for the chapter heading and move it at least half way down the page for each chapter. Unlike e-books, print book chapters don't start at the top of the page.

DO NOT USE TABLES OR ANYTHING FANCY TO INSERT TEXT OR A PAGE INTO YOUR MANUSCRIPT OR YOU WILL BE REALLY REALLY SORRY. DO NOT USE TABS. EVER.

Just use the boring old "Insert page breaks" and the copy and paste as necessary.

Are we done yet? Nope. Did you include an "About the Author" page at the end? You should. Notice how your favorite books end. Do what they do.

Now save your file and close it.

Step 9

Now you're ready to convert to pdf. And you're right -- you can't do that from MS Word. You need something else. I use Open Office. It's free. Go ahead and download it -- or use something else if you want. I don't mind waiting (again).

Open your file in (say) Open Office. You'll need to review it before you export it as a pdf because "things can change." You can fix them while in Open Office. For example if the page numbers get all wonky on you, delete them and reinsert them in Open Office.

Check and make sure your chapters start where they're supposed to. Delete or add page breaks as necessary.

Did the line spacing get funky in places? Did you notice an extra line between paragraphs and don't know how to get rid of it? Mark the section where the problem spacing is, then go to the style box in the tool bar. Select "clear formatting" then select "default." It is the same as "Normal" in Word. That should fix the problem.

Once you've checked everything over go ahead and select "File" from the tool bar and "Export as PDF."

Viola!

Step 10

There's your pdf file. For heaven's sake, check it to make sure it looks right. Then check it again. If you need to fix something, delete the pdf and go back to Open Office to fix the .doc file. Then "Export as PDF" again.

Once the pdf looks like you expect the print book to look, in person, you're ready to upload to Create Space.

Oh, and the cover? It's a little complicated to talk about here, but you'll need to know how many pages are in your pdf version for that, plus you'll need to design the back cover according to specs, too. The cover, also, has to be in pdf. 

Good luck, and DO NOT skip ordering the proof. You'll definitely want to do that!

Celebration!

An Error in Judgment is launched! 

Lots of celebration is going on, among which is thanking everyone who participated in the title contest. Those of you whose email addresses I have will hear from me right away with a free coupon for the e-book copy from Smashwords. If you entered the contest, but haven't heard from me, drop me a note at susan@susanschreyer.com and I'll get that coupon to you right away.

Smashwords is incredibly easy to use and has the books available in formats for virtually every type of electronic reader. They're a great company, too, treat the authors like kings and queens and are leaders in the e-book revolution. I sometimes think of them as the Ben & Jerry's of e-books (small, innovative company with big influence, lots of flavors & share the wealth)

And now, without further ado, here's how the adventure begins....

Chapter One

Guilt tapped me on the shoulder for the hundredth time since my morning coffee --although plaguing me for another, more immediate, reason. Paul, my boyfriend of six months, stood directly in front of me, hand on his hip, tux jacket pushed back, and eyes narrowed to the point of hiding their luminous blue.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me? Something in particular you've been sitting on since, I don't know, all day?"

I shifted on my three-inch stilettos, clamped down on my lower lip, then turned it loose. I'd only chew off my lipstick. "It's Andrea, and …" I trailed off. The excuse of our families and friends waiting for us to join them in one of the several huge banquet halls on the second level of the Seattle Convention Center seemed … lame. Sure, the annual awards dinner for the Puget Sound Dressage Society would be starting soon. Because of my foot-dragging we were tardy. Now, because of Paul's insistence we talk, we'd be later still. The problem essentially came back to Andrea. I scanned the elegantly dressed people streaming past us in the massive glass, brass and granite foyer.

"Thea …"

I returned my gaze to him and he circled my shoulders with an arm. At first I thought he intended to hug me. Instead, he gently steered me across the flow of pedestrian traffic to the protection of one of the numerous shoulder-high stone planters. Packed with large ferns and other greenery, they softened the cold, hard lines and gave the Convention Center's gleaming interior a Pacific Northwest feel. The main advantage -- and obviously Paul's intent -- was that the planter kept people from bumping into us. However, it did nothing to block the cold October breeze gusting in each time a door opened and raising goose bumps under the lightweight fabric of my long gown and tiny jacket. I should have worn a coat. What was I thinking? At least Paul's arm was warm.

"'It's Andrea and' what?" he asked, turning me loose and facing me. I shivered with the returning chill.

"And … and we're going to be late, because I couldn't find my evening bag, ran over to Aunt Vi's to borrow one, messed up my hair and had to redo it, ripped a perfectly good pair of panty hose getting into this dress and had to go out again to buy more."

"That's all?"

"What? That's not enough?"

"So you're telling me all this stress has been about seeing Andrea?"

I swallowed and darted another look at the crowd. Not everyone was headed to our banquet, unless we had a bridal party joining us. I returned my attention to Paul. "Yes."

Celebrating a mistake?

Party? Did Someone say PARTY?

Nope! Just kicking off the month long party for 

An Error In Judgment

To celebrate, I've reduced the price on Levels of Deception to .99! 

Whoo Hoo!!!

You can find it on Amazon, Smashwords, (where you can download the format of choice for the e-reader of choice), and as soon as the electronics grind it all out the e-book will be available all over the place for .99.

I LOVE celebrating the release of a new book! Mine or anyone else's. It's a new adventure waiting, an invitation to laugh, cry, gasp, shiver and love -- and it's a new friend who, once read, will wait patiently for you to return, or be satisfied with a cozy spot in your memory.

If you haven't had a look at Levels Of Deception yet, here's a brief synopsis -- I should probably warn you … the heat turns up between Thea and Paul. Like one reader mentioned, "it's nail-biting romantic drama" added to a mystery that twist, turns and ultimately surprises!

Levels of Deception

The second in the Thea Campbell Mystery Series

The murder of a professor in the basement of the Seattle's Burke Museum is haunting Thea, and not just because the man was her absent boy friend Paul's colleague. Both men have been implicated in the theft of valuable fossils from the museum and Paul not only refuses to discuss any of it with Thea, but warns her to butt out.

Unwilling to see him framed for crimes he didn't commit, Thea launches her own investigation. When an attempt on her life lands her in the hospital. Everyone, including Paul, insists she run to his protection at his dig site in Montana.

But what she finds there is far from a refuge.

The levels of deception are more personal and extend farther than she could have imagined.

The price of her pursuit of truth will be blood.

And Now......

Is she reading the new Thea Campbell Mystery?

An Error in Judgment

The third in the Thea Campbell Mystery Series

During the awards ceremony at the Puget Sound Dressage Society's annual banquet dressage judge Sig Paalmann collapses and dies. The wealthy man leaves his bride of two months -- Thea's estranged friend, Andrea -- and enigmatic last words.

Thea's initial plan to reestablish her friendship with Andrea, despite the arrogant man she married, grows into resolve to support her through the crisis. But Andrea needs more than support when her husband's death is deemed murder and she is arrested.

With boyfriend Paul Hudson's help, Thea's digs in to investigate only to discover complications far worse than either had anticipated. Andrea is pregnant and in fragile health, warring business partners jockey for control, slighted family members turn ruthless, and Thea and Paul become pawns in a desperate struggle for money and power. But, the situation, already critical, takes an even more personal twist with the arrival of an old nemesis -- a man capable of orchestrating not only Sig's death but the grave danger stalking Andrea, Thea and Paul.

He's not dead, but...

Artist/writer Tracy Hayes and I have been tossing around ideas for a cover for An Error in Judgment. She decided she wanted to do more of a scene from the book this time.

"Fine," I said. "Go for it."

She emailed me links to a bunch of cover styles and we narrowed it down to one we both liked. Then she asked me to help her look for some images. 

"We'd make a good cover!"

You may find this hard to believe, but artists don't work from memory.

Cats do the best job at keeping paper under control

Yeah, I know, surprised me too. (All of the above)

Anyway, she told me she was having trouble finding an image of a middle-aged dead guy, so I went to work and Googled images of sleeping men. Hey, sleeping men often look dead. Tell me I'm wrong.

[there's no picture here because, well, come on -- not cute!]

However, it soon became apparent that photographers don't go for realism. Most of the pictures I found were somewhat evenly divided between men who were horizontal and had their eyes closed, but were smiling, and nearly naked men curled up in bed with nearly naked women.

None of them looked very dead.

In fact, quite a number of them looked pretty lively. I sincerely doubt any of them were sleeping.

Then I hit the jackpot. Students asleep in a lecture hall.

Those guys looked dead.

I owe a debt of gratitude to boring professors. I think Tracy's going to use a couple of those snoring students to help concoct the cover. If not, I know how to look for images of dead guys now: Google "bored men."

The New Baby Has A Name!

We have a winner!! Yay!!

Sally Matteson, who emailed me off-blog, suggested….(drum roll)…..

>>>  An Error In Judgment  <<<

The title fits the story well. I'll admit, it was a tough contest. I couldn't give away too many hints without giving away the story line and all the twist and turns that make the reading of it so much fun. So….to reward everyone who contributed their creative brain cells to naming the baby, EVERYONE WINS! Okay, so Sally gets her name in the acknowledgments, but everybody gets a coupon for a free copy of An Error In Judgment when it is released. I've got The List and will do my best to contact everyone. If I miss you, let me know. If you'd rather have a coupon for a free copy of Death By A Dark Horse or Levels Of Deception, that can be arranged -- again, all you have to do is let me know!

We're closing in on the final edits and then the cover will get underway. Once that's complete you'll see it here first -- and you know the book will be following in short order.

Thanks once again for all your ideas.

What to do When a Book Lacks a Ttitle

In case you've been wondering where I've been lately, allow me to clear that up for you. I've been slaving away on the third book in the Thea Campbell Mystery Series. It's getting close to done -- as in final edits -- BUT I'm stuck. The book has no title. This isn't unusual for me. I'm terrible at titles. Very soon here, I'm going to have a finished, polished manuscript and no title. Which means no book cover, which also means no way to make it available to readers.

This is where you come in. This is my call for help!

Put on your thinking caps, folks, and send your suggestions. Send lots! Whosever suggestion is chosen will get a free copy of the book, and their name in the acknowledgments. If several of you offer up the same suggestions, then you all get the same prize. If I use a combination of suggestions, then all those who helped get the  prize, too.

So…in the spirit of getting you on the right track, here's the set up and the blurb:

The story takes place in and around Snohomish, Seattle, and nearby Issaquah, and involves the sudden death of a dressage judge at the annual awards banquet for the Puget Sound Dressage Society.

Blackie, Thea's alleged psychic horse, is involved to a small degree, as is a valuable fossil collection (to a larger degree).

The back-cover blurb will go something like this:

Wealthy dressage judge Sig Paalmann keels over at the annual Puget Sound Dressage Society awards banquet, leaving enigmatic last words and a bride of two months -- Thea's long-time friend, Andrea. Sig's reputation for arrogance and scathing criticism leaves no one sorry he's gone, much less Thea, but she is determined to support her friend through the crisis. When Andrea is arrested for her husband's murder, Thea's support turns to investigation. Secrets, lies, greed, and dangerous passions challenge Thea and Paul to put their personal relationship struggles aside in order to clear Andrea. But when an old nemesis appears on the scene they have more to worry about than either of them anticipated. This unforeseen player could provided the necessary assistance for solving the crime -- or he could be the one orchestrating the grave danger waiting for Andrea, Thea and Paul.

The contest will continue until a winner is chosen, and the winner announced here…and pretty much everywhere else. If you have questions about the plot (other than whodunit), ask away and I'll give you the best answers I can. If you'd rather send me your suggestions or questions via email, that's good, too. Get in touch with me at susan@susanschreyer.com

Thanks for all your help! Have at it, everyone!!

Susan

Here some more info on the story -- hopefully without giving too much away. The victim is a wealthy dressage judge who collects many things: art, cars, fossils, people -- the people he collects puts  in positions where they are dependent upon him in any of a variety of ways, mostly financial. The fossil collection is uber-private and reported to be the most extensive private collection in the country (this appeals to Paul, the paleontologist). The cause of death is an insulin overdose -- he is diabetic. Diabetes plays an important role throughout the story. Passion is a theme -- both the romantic kind and the kind that drives someone's ambition in a professional sense

A Conversation with Paul Hudson

It has been pointed out to me (thank you, Juliet) that I haven't interviewed any of the men from Death By A Dark Horse or Levels Of Deception except Jonathan. While entertaining, he's not as admirable as some of us (Juliet) would like. To correct the skewed interview archive I've asked Paul Hudson, leading man of the Thea Campbell Mystery Series, to be here today and give us some of the intimate details of his sexy self.

Susan Schreyer: Welcome Paul, glad you could stop by.

Paul Hudson: Susan, you said this wasn't going to be too personal.

SS: Oh! Well, (laughs) don't worry. [aside to readers] much. [to Paul]  So, let's get started.

PH: Fire away.

SS: In Death By A Dark Horse we are shown contrasting glimpses of you. You're an intellectual, but you get your hands dirty working on farm equipment. You dress conservatively, yet you sport an earring. You're pretty tuned in to other people's feelings, yet you can (rather loudly) lose your temper. In Levels of Deception we also see your ability to keep your cool and be passionate as well. You're a pretty complex guy.

PH: Not really. I've just learned to adapt, thanks to a little sister who wouldn't let me be a jerk, and an older brother who continues to be one. I wouldn't call myself an intellectual --

SS: But you've got a PhD.

PH: It was a means to an end. Paleontology and geology fascinate me. Earning a PhD was a way to stay immersed in it.

SS: What is it about dinosaurs and rocks that fascinate you?

PH: (laughs) Honestly? There's a certain, oh, romantic appeal to it. Looking at a mountain range, or desert, or old river bed grabs my imagination. What was this spot like millions of years ago? What forces caused it to change? Was it gradual, or catastrophic? What animals roamed here, how did they live, what did they look like? Sound like? Smell like? Finding bits of answers, bits of new information, is like putting a puzzle together without knowing the picture you're going for. There are always surprises and more questions.

SS: Like a detective story!

PH: (laughs again) Right.

SS: Do you ride horses like Thea?

PH: I can. 

SS: No kidding! I didn't know that. Are you good?

PH: Just good enough to borrow Henry's horse and go trail riding with Thea and maybe jump a log or two.

SS: Did she teach you?

PH: No, Miguel taught me the basics when I was a teenager.

SS: Miguel? You keep surprising me!

PH: Yeah. Miguel did rodeos when he was a kid -- up until he came to Snohomish to manage Copper Creek for my aunt Delores -- so he knows how to handle a horse. My folks sent me out here in the summers from Minneapolis to clean stalls. They hoped hard labor would straighten me out, and I just wanted to get out of the house. The first week I was here Miguel had a word or two to say about my attitude toward the horses and clients. He figured if I had a taste of what the people who came here to ride experienced in order to do what they loved I'd show more respect. 

SS: Sounds like you were a bit difficult. So, did it work? Did learning to ride straighten you out?

PH: Well, I don't know about that, but I gained some respect. In fact, Thea taught me a thing or two about handling a horse when she was ten and a student here.

SS: I thought you two met just last year?

PH: We did, for all intents and purposes. She doesn't remember me from back then.

SS: Too interested in the horses to notice the cute barn help, huh? So, what happened when she was ten?

PH: I was having some problems leading a horse into his stall. Thea thought I was sending mixed signals and being too rough. She marched over and read me the riot act, then showed me how to do it right. She was a pretty gutsy little kid -- not exactly what I was thinking at the time, though. Embarrassed me enough to stick in my memory.

SS: A little hard on a fifteen-year-old ego to have a little girl show him up, huh?

PH: Oh, yeah. I still remember her lecture. (Smiles) She's still pretty sure of herself.

SS: I think you like that about her.

PH: True enough.

SS: Now, this wasn't so bad -- or horribly personal -- was it?

PH: No. You were right.

SS: Let's finish up with some rapid-fire questions with quick, off the cuff one-word answers.

PH: Shoot.

SS: Favorite color?

PH: Uh...blue?

SS: Favorite food?

PH: Barbecue anything.

SS: Middle name?

PH: Anthony.

SS: Sport?

PH: Soccer.

SS: Lights on or off?

PH: On ... uh...hang on a sec.

SS: Boxers or brief?

PH: Uh, Susan --

SS: Oh, commando! Dress left or right?

PH: Okay, we're done. Juliet put you up to this, didn't she?

SS: There had to be some concessions. You know how she is!